hoopoe

mike&jenny · #1 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:00 PM

Just seen a hoopoe down by our local river.What a pretty bird. Never seen one before,can anyone tell us how common they are.

sunnydale · #2 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:05 PM

Wow, you lucky thing!

I've never seen one but it's been on my wish list for ever!!!

Would you PM me details of where your 'local river' is??

Rob_D · #3 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:07 PM

Hello and welcome. They're great aren't they?

Apparently there are about 1 Million in Europe, and about 100 or so records in Britain each year. Whereabouts are you? They winter in Africa, so it's very late to see one here.

Picidae · #4 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:10 PM

It's a scarce visitor to Britain (usually on passage) but they have bred here too. A Hoopoe this late in the year is very unusual though they winter in Africa/Asia! Are you absolutely certain that's what you saw? (although with that almighty crest they're a bit hard to confuse with anything else)

Probably would be a good idea to go back to the river and try and relocate it and get a photo.

Whereabouts are you?

dickybird · #5 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:20 PM

lucky you indeed!

ive only ever seen them on holiday---sitting on overhead wires in the countryside of minorca.

dickybird

Sprout · #6 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:25 PM

we saw one while we were in the south of france in june. thought i was seeing things at first, and my husband missed it the first time as he was in the shower. it came back again the next day at the same time, and the following day too. poking around in the grass under the poplar trees for about 10 minutes. it looked absolutely beautiful as it took off, the sun shining through its feathers.

Jason Claxton · #7 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 05:30 PM

I've seen a U.K Hoopoe

,this would be a fine sighting indeed Mike and Jenny.

Adam Cheeseman · #8 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 07:48 PM

Wasn't a Jay then?

Picidae · #9 (**permalink**) 15-11-2009, 08:43 PM

or a Waxwing

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Jonners · #10 (**permalink**) 16-11-2009, 11:19 AM

I was told by a birder friend of mine that there was one on the North Norfolk coast for at least two days last week, so there are still some around. I dread to think where it might be now with all this wind. It always amazes me how birds that we don't expect to see in the UK turn up here, and often in the most unusual places, like the Orkneys, when they should be hundreds or thousands of miles away.